[SUBMIITTED] Sign Language Convention

[Bazalonia]

After previously failing on an Internation Sign Language proposal. This issue have been re-thought and has been approached from a slightly different angle

Sign Language Convention
Education and Creativity

ACKNOWLEDGING the diversity of sign languages in existence,

RECOGNISING the vital contribution that sign languages play to the quality of life of the hearing-impairedDeaf,

BELIEVING that more can be done to aid the hearing impaired Deaf and the status of sign languages,

STRIVING to support cultural identity and diversity by independent sign languages,

SUPPORTING hearing-impairedDeaf individuals to ensure as great a standard of livingQuality of Life as is feasibly possible

THEREFORE:

1: DEFINES, for the purposes of this resolution,
- (a) 'gesturalwords' as specific gestures or movements that convey a specific concept, meaning or idea, in a manner analogous to words in a verbal language
- (b) 'Sign Language' as a non-verbal, gestural-based system of communication using defined grammar and communicating distinct concepts via gesturalwords.

2: CREATES the International Hearing Research CentreCouncil (IHRC), the IHRC is mandated to:
- Study and report on causes of hearing loss and ways which may prevent such hearing loss from occuring.
- Support health care professionals by researching and designing audiometric devices for acurate measuring of hearing loss
- Research ways of minimising or removing the affects that hearing loss has on individuals
- Standardise methods of informing travelling hearing-impared persons of important information about dealng with emergency and law enforcement personnel.
- Co-ordinate and collaborate research into this topic within the international scientific community

3: MANDATES that training in one or more sign languages, as appropriate, be accessible to those that wish to learn that language. There must be programs for adult and Children, hearing-impaired and non-Hearingimpaired and every combination thereof. This can be done through any recognised education provider.

4: ENCOURAGES a large number of Emergency personnel and law enforcement personnel to get training in at least one Sign Language.

5: MANDATES that if there is no obvious choice for the training of Sign Language then one must be created or imported. If this is the case the same Sign Language must be standardised across the nation. Additional Sign Languages may be taught if there is a visible minority of hearing-impairedDeaf persons that use this different sign language.

Changes as a result of feedback will appear in this post.

Additions will appear in italics and deletions will appear with strikethrough. Text that has been added then deleted will be removed completely, and text that has been removed then added again will appear as normal.

[Enn]

OOC: I'm writing this as a linguistics student with some study into the linguistics of signed languages, so you know. I certainly wouldn't consider myself an expert, but there's a few things that should be pointed out.

Using hearing-impaired throughout, while well intentioned, can be incredibly offensive to Deaf people. I'm using the capital D there for a reason - these are people who self-identify as Deaf, not hearing impaired. Also, the Deaf are much more likely to use a signed language as primary form of communication than the 'hearing impaired'.

'Gesture' and 'sign' are not synonyms. The concept of a 'gestural word' seems a bit patronising. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way.

Signed languages are known to arise from Deaf communities - most recently, and notably, with Nigerian Sign Language. Importing a signed language is fraught with exactly the same problems as importing a spoken language - even more so in some cases, due to not having a written form (in most cases).

Overall I think you've got a good idea, but it needs fine-tuning. A lot of things like this, in the Real World, are written with little understanding of the issues involved. Hopefully in NS we can do a bit better.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

This is a wonderful idea but I think this may fit as a social justice, mild proposal.

I would recommend the following adjustments anyway:

2: CREATES the Hearing Research Centre (HRC), the HRC is mandated to:

The Hearing Research Centre (HRC) may be interpreted as a national committee because of the generic naming. Perhaps it should be called the International Hearing Council.

I would second the honoured ambassador to Enn's suggestion to use "Deaf people" rather than hearing impaired people, because according to our view hearing impaired people may use hearing aids, which to at this point, my memory of setting heading aids to "T" comes into mind, and perhaps made an international standard.

[Unibot]

ACKNOWLEDGING the diversity of sign languages in existance

Existence.

[Bazalonia]

First Thank you all for your input.

Enn, perhaps the title's a bit of a false but I sort of wanted this proposal to address issues in regards to thingss along the whole scale of deafness. Sign Language is perhaps the most this proposal goes on about but in tandem with the IHRC (I'll rename it to council but next time I edit) it becomes far more comprehensive than only the Deaf which is why I used hearing impaired.

As for gestural words I've kept the basic concept, I wanted to directly relate it to written or spoken word but yeah, looking at it again it created a point where sign languages could be seen as a lower class language. I believe the changes I've made address this and your issue about sign and gestures. I use that because I want to make it clear that these words are expressed through something physical rather than writing on paper or sound.

And finally Clause 3.... Is there a proper term for 'non-Deaf' because that just seems wrong.

Charlotte Ryberg...

Yeah, it could fit in there...

I went with this because it seemed to me to be a better, more natural fit...

The IHRC is a research agency, that definately fits in this category, mandates that training be accessible which will certainly involve increased education spending and #4, though #4 is a weak clause but still on the education/training.

Though 5 is quite Social Justice but is really just closing a loop hole

[Enn]

As for gestural words I've kept the basic concept, I wanted to directly relate it to written or spoken word but yeah, looking at it again it created a point where sign languages could be seen as a lower class language. I believe the changes I've made address this and your issue about sign and gestures. I use that because I want to make it clear that these words are expressed through something physical rather than writing on paper or sound.

If I'm reading it right, you've now defined 'words' in such a way as to mean the word 'word' can now only refer to sings, never to spoken or written language. I'm assuming this is a mistake, that you meant to put in 'sign' there.

And finally Clause 3.... Is there a proper term for 'non-Deaf' because that just seems wrong.

'Hearing' should work. In that clause, it might well be good to also include 'hearing impaired'.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Honoured ambassador to Bazalonia,

I cannot see how Education and Creativity could be a category for this draft because that category serves to improve the literacy, numeracy of civilians. The reason I have suggested Social Justice is that it actually deals with healthcare and research and improving communication but no suggestion to guarantee that civilians would be smarter with this draft.

In addition, consideration should be made for the collaboration of research by national scientists. It seems that the proposal assumes that all nations do not research into hearing health, and that the WA think they are better than nations. This statement is not true because some countries like us and a few others have been very successful in combating hearing loss, so the draft should make use of the success there (as long as it does not force roleplay as per WA guidelines).

Yours,

[Delaclava]

Delaclava supports this resolution, with no suggestions at the moment.

[Bazalonia]

Honoured ambassador to Bazalonia,

I cannot see how Education and Creativity could be a category for this draft because that category serves to improve the literacy, numeracy of civilians. The reason I have suggested Social Justice is that it actually deals with healthcare and research and improving communication but no suggestion to guarantee that civilians would be smarter with this draft.

In addition, consideration should be made for the collaboration of research by national scientists. It seems that the proposal assumes that all nations do not research into hearing health, and that the WA think they are better than nations. This statement is not true because some countries like us and a few others have been very successful in combating hearing loss, so the draft should make use of the success there (as long as it does not force roleplay as per WA guidelines).

Yours,

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18#p193

Education and Creativity, Education...

Education and Creativity

A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.[/center]

Area of Effect

Artistic is just what you'd expect - government funding for the Arts. No more trying to sneak it in under human rights.

Educational - finally something for all you "Free Education" lovers. Of course, nothing is truly free, as you'll quickly discover.

Cultural Heritage is another of those lovely amorphous categories that lets you do those wonderful meaningless things the RL UN loves so much. For a small fee, of course.

Free Press allows the ultimate expression of your new-found educational and creative rights. Be careful what you wish for, though ...

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18#p190

Social Justice
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

These are almost exactly opposed types of resolutions. Both affect Economic freedoms. "Free Trade" increases Economic freedoms while "Social Justice" reduces Economic freedoms. In addition, "Social Justice" also increases government spending on welfare and healthcare (though "Free Trade" does not have an opposite effect). Economic freedoms primarily discuss how much regulation there is on business/industry or how much government spending goes to helping poor/sick people. Total Economic freedom is Laissez-faire Capitalism. Zero Economic freedom is a completely government-controlled economy. Creating a Food and Drug Administration in all WA member nations, or creating a Securities and Exchange Commission in all WA member nations is imposing a mild form of Economic control, and therefore a mild reduction of Economic freedoms; you're imposing restrictions on what businesses and industries may do and you're moving away from a completely-uncontrolled Laissez-faire system.

In terms of Economic Freedoms, "Mild" versions of either category will push nations in a particular direction, but only as far as the center. Stronger versions will push nations towards a more extreme end of the spectrum.

Here is what I'm basing this off... I believe this proposal is a much better fit in Education and Creativity... it deals with education and education's bastard cousin research.

2... has no impact what so ever on economic freedom apart from the 4th point, which is for all intensive purposes does not matter.

3... okay yes, this one is the major one that supports Social Justice potentially causing private training providers to have courses in this, however it also allows for any existing public schools and other public institutions to do so. This means increase in education funding to compensate. I suppose I could add a small bit saying the private institutions doing this must be at least partially funded for these courses just to make it clear.

4. Encouraging these people to get training is best IMO to be allocated to the education budget as there isn't a emergency personnel budget... I suppose you could argue for social justice but it's a contrivence and only partially fits

5. Is pure administration and closing loop holes for people to say 'we don't have sign languages' getting out of their obligations.

Almost every clause deals with education and training where as for social justice It doesn't quite it and will seemed forced.

[Bazalonia]

As for gestural words I've kept the basic concept, I wanted to directly relate it to written or spoken word but yeah, looking at it again it created a point where sign languages could be seen as a lower class language. I believe the changes I've made address this and your issue about sign and gestures. I use that because I want to make it clear that these words are expressed through something physical rather than writing on paper or sound.

If I'm reading it right, you've now defined 'words' in such a way as to mean the word 'word' can now only refer to sings, never to spoken or written language. I'm assuming this is a mistake, that you meant to put in 'sign' there.

And finally Clause 3.... Is there a proper term for 'non-Deaf' because that just seems wrong.

'Hearing' should work. In that clause, it might well be good to also include 'hearing impaired'.

I can't read anywhere were I wrote sing in that quote... What I meant was, I wanted to make a sign be thought of in the same manner as a word is for verbal communication. I believe my altered definition of 'words' has achieved that.

[Enn]

I can't read anywhere were I wrote sing in that quote... What I meant was, I wanted to make a sign be thought of in the same manner as a word is for verbal communication. I believe my altered definition of 'words' has achieved that.

At the moment, what you've got is:

DEFINES
- (a) 'words' as a specific gestures or movements that convey a specific concept, meaning or idea, in a manner analogous to words in a verbal language
- (b) 'Sign Language' as a non-verbal, gestural-based system of communication using defined grammar and communicating distinct concepts via words.

Strictly speaking, by what you've got there, a word is only something that exists in signed languages. Not in spoken languages. Which is a problem, since both spoken and written languages (obviously) use words. Methinks you need to braoden the definition of 'word', plus possibly add in a definition of 'sign' in order to get your point across.

[Bazalonia]

I can't read anywhere were I wrote sing in that quote... What I meant was, I wanted to make a sign be thought of in the same manner as a word is for verbal communication. I believe my altered definition of 'words' has achieved that.

At the moment, what you've got is:

DEFINES
- (a) 'words' as a specific gestures or movements that convey a specific concept, meaning or idea, in a manner analogous to words in a verbal language
- (b) 'Sign Language' as a non-verbal, gestural-based system of communication using defined grammar and communicating distinct concepts via words.

Strictly speaking, by what you've got there, a word is only something that exists in signed languages. Not in spoken languages. Which is a problem, since both spoken and written languages (obviously) use words. Methinks you need to braoden the definition of 'word', plus possibly add in a definition of 'sign' in order to get your point across.

Obviously... but for the purpose of this resolution when the term 'words' are used they specifically mean words in the sign language context excluding the spoken and written contexts.

This definition only applies to the text of the resolution though I should explicitly say that even though it's usually works that way. I've added a bit of text just after the Define to clarify this.

Edit: I've check with Ardchoille about the category she agrees that Education and Creativity is the best category.

[Bazalonia]

I'm submitting this as it stands...

Thank you everyone for your input.

EDIT:

I've had to change the name of the proposal so that the WA would accept it.Link to the Proposal

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Honoured ambassador to Bazalonia,

I still feel that as it stands it is a social justice proposal because of the welfare improvements it will bring, i.e. accessibility to emergency services.

Understanding how limited the scope of the proposal is (it seems to only concern emergency services), I'm afraid I cannot support this version until improvements are made.

Yours etc,

[Bazalonia]

OOC: This is not a Social Justice proposal, it is an Education proposal. While it might seek to improve the lives of people disadvantaged through a lack of acquity in their hearing it does not do so by reducing Economic Freedoms, it does so through specific funding of education and research.

Please double check the quote of the Social Justice WA Category... THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT FIT!

If you are still unsure please TG Ard. She looked over it for me and confirmed what I have been saying.... Thank you.